Brother Martin LA Goes 1-2 For Repeat In Mobile

By Arthur L. Mack for Dyestat 

MOBILE — No Hunter Appleton, no problem for Brother Martin of Louisiana.

With Appleton, the Louisiana Class 5A state champion in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, not in action because of a recruiting trip to Notre Dame, Brother Martin still had enough firepower to win the boys invitational title at the Mobile Challenge of Champions in Alabama. 

RESULTS

Cade Litolff and Michael Champagne proved they were more than able to take up the slack, going 1-2 at Langan Park to help the Crusaders lock down the team title for the second year in a row. Litolff won in 16 minutes, 42.5 seconds and Champagne ran 16:46.2. 

Faith Academy’s Myles Stoots was third in 16:47.4.

Brother Martin defeated Baker 60-74 for the team title, while McGill-Toolen Catholic was a distant third with 120 points. Fairhope and Holy Cross of New Orleans rounded out the top five with 127 and 132 points, respectively.

Baker High of Mobile, meanwhile, was a surprise winner in the invitational girls race, defeating Daphne 49-105. St. Paul’s Episcopal AL was third with 120 points, while Long Beach of Mississippi (129), led by Brooklyn Biancamano’s first-place individual finish (18:42.6), and McGill-Toolen Catholic (130) rounded out the top five.

Brother Martin proved up to the challenge despite the absence of Appleton, last year's individual winner.

“Coming into last year’s meet, I thought we lost, but it turned out we won by one point,” Crusaders coach Drew Haro said. “Today, we came in without a couple of our key guys and I asked some guys to step up. It was good to know we had a couple of runners in the first two places. It’s always fun to run against Baker because it has become a fun rivalry.”

A pack of seven runners dominated the early portion of the race, but things got interesting with about 800 meters to go when several, including Champagne, made a big surge. It soon became a three-man race, with Litolff, Champagne and Stoots battling for the win. Litolff kicked with about 200 meters to go for the win.

“I was in the second pack, and I really wasn’t feeling it today, but something came up inside of me and I felt that kick going,” Litolff said. “I was really motivated to get that first place. At the (final) turn, I couldn’t even feel my legs, it was so rough, but I was watching the back of my teammate, and I didn’t want to lose to him.”

With St. Paul Episcopal’s Isabel Valenzuela not running in the race because of tendonitis, and Faith Academy running without Olivia Andrews (she transferred to Cottage Hill Christian Academy) the team title was up for grabs, and Baker took advantage of its opportunity.

Baker managed to win the title despite having only one runner, fourth-place finisher Leslie Baxter, in the top 10. 

“Our girls had a tremendous summer in training,” Hornet coach Paul Agnew said. “We’re really primed to have a big year. This meet always brings out some good times locally.”

Baxter ran 20:06.4 to lead her team.

“We have each other’s back,” Baxter said. “We felt kind of nervous coming into the meet, but we had our goals as to what we wanted to do and we worked together.”

Biancamano asserted herself early and dominated the race, winning by more than a minute. Faith Academy’s Bailey Lansdown was second (19:56.2) and T.R. Miller’s Olivia Blackmon was third (19:57.7). 

“It’s a lot of fun, and it’s a little tough,” Biancamano said. “But, it causes a lot of motivation, and I really enjoyed it.  I really didn’t think I would make the time that I did because I did take two months off because of a knee injury. But now I’m very excited because I’m where I’m supposed to be.”